I. The Medieval period was called "dark" because of the reliance and dominance of religion and lack of individual expression.
A) Arts/architecture
B) literature
C) Events
II. Literature- " literature makes the medieval period "dark" because of the unacknowledged authors who had a ban on expression" (jenna)
A) anonymous artists
B) fear of church persecution
III. Art- " overall, with the church being in control of the people, they lacked freedom leaving them with no choice but to use their artistic ability to paint religious figures." (allyson)
A) artists did not get recognition
B) Biblical scenes
C) black and gray (architecture)
IV. Events - conflict and inquisition
A) Medieval inquisition
B) The viking invasion
side notes
- lack of written history
- lack of science = lack of free thinking or intellectual ideals
Medieval Quotes
A few of the most profound things that shaped the medieval period and led to its "dark" reputation were the plague, religion and warfare. With no real system of medical treatment and a lack of understanding about sanitation, illness did in fact run rampant during the medieval time period http://www.medieval-castle-siege-weapons.com/medieval-time-period.html
Petrarch (a writer and philosopher who lived in the early 1300s) described this period as the "Dark Ages" because to him it seemed to be a period of decline for human achievement, especially when he compared it to the vast cultural wealth of the Ancient Greeks and Romans The works of art created in the Middle Ages were almost exclusively focused on the teachings of the Church. It was during the Middle Ages that Christianity spread among the migrating groups of people who began to settle in Europe. It is important to remember that during the Middle Ages the clergy (the monks and priests) were the only ones who could read and write. Almost every work of art created during this period was religious in nature. And although many beautiful works of art were created during the Middle Ages, we know the names of the artists only rarely, because it would have been sinful to take pride in something you created, when it was, after all, created with the help of God, for the Church itself.
An event why the medieval period is called "dark" is because of the viking invasions in 787-1066 AD. They were raiding pirates and stole horses while causing disasters. They attacked people anywhere but mainly France. The other people attacked were the Holy Roman Empire and other Christian countries in Europe. This connects to the Medieval period being "dark" because these life changing wars, battles, and invasions like this one caused the people of this time to be scared, freedom less, and poor. "Many buildingd were pillaged, burned, destroyed by the Viking Raids. Many monastaries were pillaged and all abbeys were destroyed. They only left when they acquired sufficient loot or bribes." http://www.crystalinks.com/vikings.html
Initially, this era took on the term “dark” by later onlookers; this was due to the backward ways and practices that seemed to prevail during this time. Future historians used the term “dark” simply to denote the fact that little was known about this period; there was a paucity of written history. Recent discoveries have apparently altered this perception as many new facts about this time have been uncovered.
The Dark Ages was a period of religious struggle. Protestants and Catholics viewed the era from opposing perspectives. Protestants regarded this time as a period of Catholic corruption; they repudiated the ways of the Catholic Church with its papal doctrines and hierarchy. Protestants strove to recreate a pure Christianity, void of these “dark” Catholic ways. Catholics did not view this era as “dark.” Catholics viewed this period as a harmonious, productive religious era. The Dark Ages were also the years of vast Muslim conquests. Along with other nomads and horse and camel warriors, the Muslims rode through the fallen empire, wreaking havoc and seeding intellectual and social heresy in their wake. Muslim conquests prevailed until the time of the Crusades. This age old conflict between Christianity and Islam remains until this day. Scarcity of sound literature and cultural achievements marked these years; barbarous practices prevailed.
To some extent, the period of the Dark Ages remains obscure to modern onlookers. The tumult of the era, its religious conflict and denigration, and debatable time period all work together to shroud the period in diminished light. http://www.allabouthistory.org/the-dark-ages.htm
ART In the Medieval period all art forms became influenced by ChristianityReligion ruled the Medieval Period and frightened its followers which led to many of the anonymous works of art. The majority of the art was about Christianity and the belief of the Catholic Church. The art of the past periods were made on stories, religion, or fascination but in the Medieval Period the art was controlled by the artist’s religion. The only art works that come from the Dark Ages are scenes from the bible, or art portraying Christian events from the time. All other art forms were ignored and prohibited. Some examples of this art are works by Konrad Witz, who made an altar piece of the Virgin, Giotto, who painted "Kiss of Judas," and Duccio di Buoninsegna who is famous for "Stoclet Madonna." All of these artists works depiced religious creations. You can easily realize that Christianity had a strong hold on the art during this time from the religious aspects represented in all of the art works of the Medieval Period. http://www.white-history.com/hwr41.htm, http://docs.google.com/Presentation?docid=dcz3dpcj_29gbrqftdw&hl=en LITERATURE
The literature of the medieval period can contribute greatly to the common name "The Dark Ages." Latin was a common language for medieval writings because the church was really the only source of education at the time. However, what separates it from the work we see today is its anonymity. An author's role from a period like the medieval as opposed to one like the romantic is very different. They were often restrained by church fathers because the church did hold all the power during this time. Their intimidation made authors ,who either embellished older pieces of work or invented their own, not find the gift of honor be important. Therefore, much of medieval literature is not claimed to be owned by any specific person. Some examples of medieval literature are Beowulf, Digenis Acritas, and The Cloud of Unknowing. Beowulf is an epic poem about a hero and can be seen as one of the most important works of Anglo Saxon literature. Digenis Acritas is also an epic that tells about a hero and is known in many folk songs. Finally, The Cloud of Unknowing is a guidebook to seeking God. It was an inspiration to cryptic searchers. In the end, literature makes the Medieval period dark because of the unacknowledged authors who had a ban on expression
As such, many authors wrote anonymously in order to conceal their identities and avoid a cruel fate. This was also one of the factors as to why there is a lack of documentation of medieval literature. One of the main themes used in medieval literature was allegory, which shows the morals the author had in mind while they were writing their work.
The literature was special because most of the pieces of work that were developed had an unknown author. The authors during this time often wrote anonymously because they were afraid of the church because religion was a major part of this time period.
EVENTS
An event why the medieval period is called "dark" is because of the viking invasions in 787-1066 AD. They were raiding pirates and stole horses while causing disasters. They attacked people anywhere but mainly France. The other people attacked were the Holy Roman Empire and other Christian countries in Europe. This connects to the Medieval period being "dark" because these life changing wars, battles, and invasions like this one caused the people of this time to be scared, freedom less, and poor. "Many buildingd were pillaged, burned, destroyed by the Viking Raids. Many monastaries were pillaged and all abbeys were destroyed. They only left when they acquired sufficient loot or bribes." http://www.crystalinks.com/vikings.html (wilda)
Another event was the Norman Conquest. This is another invasion in 1066AD of the Kingdom of England. The leader of Normandy (William) lead them and replaced the ruling class in England with French-speaking monarchy, aristocracy, and clerical hierarchy. they got rid of all the traditions and styles of those people who were there and forced their beliefs and language on them. this contributes to dark because of the fighting and people still aren't able to lead the lives the way they want to it was pressed and reinforced upon the people of England. "The Englishmen suffered many casualties." http://normanconquest.co.uk/ (wilda)
Medieval Inquisition
This devastating event in history exemplifies the power of the church and the direct influence that it had on the people living during the medieval times. Due to the fact that “separation of church and state” was not even an idea yet, the clergy held the cards and governed the land how they saw fit. The church thought that it was their divine right to interfere with any opposing religious beliefs or ideals, leading them to combat that opposition with means of violence and torture in some cases. The Inquisition was a way for narrow minded, “god-fearing” folk to weed out those who were not worthy of expressing their own moral values. Inquisitors were religious figures that were sent to different areas to expose those who had “fallen from grace.” These discoveries resulted with the accused scoundrel on trial for what they felt; unfortunately these trials usually did not end in favor of the accused.
OTHER The center of thinking during The Medieval Period was based upon the Christian bible. Unfortunately, religion controlled the minds of the people. All scientific thoughts that did not follow what was said in the Bible was ignored and considered phony. Some examples include that the Earth revolves around the sun. In the Bible is says how the sun revolves around the Earth. It was discovered that the sun was the center of the universe and the Earth revolved around the sun, although this concept was not argued with because going against the church would result in harsh consequences. Another example of this ignorance to intelligent thinking was the belief that the Earth was round. The Bible talks about how the Earth has four corners, hence the Earth was flat. Once again the belief of the Earth being round was rejected and not proved until later on in history because the church overlooked it. Ultimately, thinking freely was repressed by the church, causing no progress in scientific discoveries. -Kelsey
An aspect that contributes to why the Dark Ages were dark was the concept of Feudalism. This concept was introduced by William the Conqueror, leader of the Norman invasion who was crowned king. This concept means that land is exchanged for military service, in which the land is divided by the king, the church, and Norman soldiers and nobles. A "pyramid of power" was created to maintain control, along with the creation of castles to control the population. However, rebellion ensued, as many people did not agree with feudalism. There were two rebellions, one led by King Harold's family, and by Herward the Wake, both of which were unsuccessful. Feudalism fell into a decline when the Black Death came around Europe. (http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/feudalism-in-england.htm)- Jesse
Medieval Catholic Literature
Cultural activity during the early Middle Ages consisted primarily in appropriating and systematizing the knowledge of the past. The works of classical authors were copied and annotated. Encyclopedic works, such as Isidore of Seville's Etymologies (623), which attempted to present the collected knowledge of humankind, were compiled. At the center of any learned activity stood the Bible; indeed, all secular learning was regarded as mere preparation for understanding the holy text. Also, the Church preserved ancient writings and Biblical writings. The Christian Church helped unify people of Europe because of its centralized authority and hierarchical nature. The Church unified the people because it was the only constant.
The Dark Ages were referred to as "dark" becasue of the very influencial oppression the Churches had on the people and citizens of that time. The church believed that people should stick to the old time and old ways, in order to brainwash and keep the people "dumb" to their surroundings, so that the Church had power and control over the people
I. The Medieval period was called "dark" because of the reliance and dominance of religion and lack of individual expression.
A) Arts/architecture
B) literature
C) Events
II. Literature- " literature makes the medieval period "dark" because of the unacknowledged authors who had a ban on expression" (jenna)
A) anonymous artists
B) fear of church persecution
III. Art- " overall, with the church being in control of the people, they lacked freedom leaving them with no choice but to use their artistic ability to paint religious figures." (allyson)
A) artists did not get recognition
B) Biblical scenes
C) black and gray (architecture)
IV. Events - conflict and inquisition
A) Medieval inquisition
B) The viking invasion
side notes
- lack of written history
- lack of science = lack of free thinking or intellectual ideals
Medieval Quotes
A few of the most profound things that shaped the medieval period and led to its "dark" reputation were the plague, religion and warfare. With no real system of medical treatment and a lack of understanding about sanitation, illness did in fact run rampant during the medieval time period
http://www.medieval-castle-siege-weapons.com/medieval-time-period.html
Petrarch (a writer and philosopher who lived in the early 1300s) described this period as the "Dark Ages" because to him it seemed to be a period of decline for human achievement, especially when he compared it to the vast cultural wealth of the Ancient Greeks and Romans The works of art created in the Middle Ages were almost exclusively focused on the teachings of the Church. It was during the Middle Ages that Christianity spread among the migrating groups of people who began to settle in Europe. It is important to remember that during the Middle Ages the clergy (the monks and priests) were the only ones who could read and write. Almost every work of art created during this period was religious in nature. And although many beautiful works of art were created during the Middle Ages, we know the names of the artists only rarely, because it would have been sinful to take pride in something you created, when it was, after all, created with the help of God, for the Church itself.
http://smarthistory.org/medieval.html
An event why the medieval period is called "dark" is because of the viking invasions in 787-1066 AD. They were raiding pirates and stole horses while causing disasters. They attacked people anywhere but mainly France. The other people attacked were the Holy Roman Empire and other Christian countries in Europe. This connects to the Medieval period being "dark" because these life changing wars, battles, and invasions like this one caused the people of this time to be scared, freedom less, and poor. "Many buildingd were pillaged, burned, destroyed by the Viking Raids. Many monastaries were pillaged and all abbeys were destroyed. They only left when they acquired sufficient loot or bribes." http://www.crystalinks.com/vikings.html
Initially, this era took on the term “dark” by later onlookers; this was due to the backward ways and practices that seemed to prevail during this time. Future historians used the term “dark” simply to denote the fact that little was known about this period; there was a paucity of written history. Recent discoveries have apparently altered this perception as many new facts about this time have been uncovered.
The Dark Ages was a period of religious struggle. Protestants and Catholics viewed the era from opposing perspectives. Protestants regarded this time as a period of Catholic corruption; they repudiated the ways of the Catholic Church with its papal doctrines and hierarchy. Protestants strove to recreate a pure Christianity, void of these “dark” Catholic ways. Catholics did not view this era as “dark.” Catholics viewed this period as a harmonious, productive religious era. The Dark Ages were also the years of vast Muslim conquests. Along with other nomads and horse and camel warriors, the Muslims rode through the fallen empire, wreaking havoc and seeding intellectual and social heresy in their wake. Muslim conquests prevailed until the time of the Crusades. This age old conflict between Christianity and Islam remains until this day. Scarcity of sound literature and cultural achievements marked these years; barbarous practices prevailed.
To some extent, the period of the Dark Ages remains obscure to modern onlookers. The tumult of the era, its religious conflict and denigration, and debatable time period all work together to shroud the period in diminished light.
http://www.allabouthistory.org/the-dark-ages.htm
ART
In the Medieval period all art forms became influenced by ChristianityReligion ruled the Medieval Period and frightened its followers which led to many of the anonymous works of art. The majority of the art was about Christianity and the belief of the Catholic Church. The art of the past periods were made on stories, religion, or fascination but in the Medieval Period the art was controlled by the artist’s religion. The only art works that come from the Dark Ages are scenes from the bible, or art portraying Christian events from the time. All other art forms were ignored and prohibited. Some examples of this art are works by Konrad Witz, who made an altar piece of the Virgin, Giotto, who painted "Kiss of Judas," and Duccio di Buoninsegna who is famous for "Stoclet Madonna." All of these artists works depiced religious creations. You can easily realize that Christianity had a strong hold on the art during this time from the religious aspects represented in all of the art works of the Medieval Period. http://www.white-history.com/hwr41.htm, http://docs.google.com/Presentation?docid=dcz3dpcj_29gbrqftdw&hl=en
LITERATURE
The literature of the medieval period can contribute greatly to the common name "The Dark Ages." Latin was a common language for medieval writings because the church was really the only source of education at the time. However, what separates it from the work we see today is its anonymity. An author's role from a period like the medieval as opposed to one like the romantic is very different. They were often restrained by church fathers because the church did hold all the power during this time. Their intimidation made authors ,who either embellished older pieces of work or invented their own, not find the gift of honor be important. Therefore, much of medieval literature is not claimed to be owned by any specific person. Some examples of medieval literature are Beowulf, Digenis Acritas, and The Cloud of Unknowing. Beowulf is an epic poem about a hero and can be seen as one of the most important works of Anglo Saxon literature. Digenis Acritas is also an epic that tells about a hero and is known in many folk songs. Finally, The Cloud of Unknowing is a guidebook to seeking God. It was an inspiration to cryptic searchers. In the end, literature makes the Medieval period dark because of the unacknowledged authors who had a ban on expression
As such, many authors wrote anonymously in order to conceal their identities and avoid a cruel fate. This was also one of the factors as to why there is a lack of documentation of medieval literature. One of the main themes used in medieval literature was allegory, which shows the morals the author had in mind while they were writing their work.
The literature was special because most of the pieces of work that were developed had an unknown author. The authors during this time often wrote anonymously because they were afraid of the church because religion was a major part of this time period.
EVENTS
An event why the medieval period is called "dark" is because of the viking invasions in 787-1066 AD. They were raiding pirates and stole horses while causing disasters. They attacked people anywhere but mainly France. The other people attacked were the Holy Roman Empire and other Christian countries in Europe. This connects to the Medieval period being "dark" because these life changing wars, battles, and invasions like this one caused the people of this time to be scared, freedom less, and poor. "Many buildingd were pillaged, burned, destroyed by the Viking Raids. Many monastaries were pillaged and all abbeys were destroyed. They only left when they acquired sufficient loot or bribes." http://www.crystalinks.com/vikings.html (wilda)
Another event was the Norman Conquest. This is another invasion in 1066AD of the Kingdom of England. The leader of Normandy (William) lead them and replaced the ruling class in England with French-speaking monarchy, aristocracy, and clerical hierarchy. they got rid of all the traditions and styles of those people who were there and forced their beliefs and language on them. this contributes to dark because of the fighting and people still aren't able to lead the lives the way they want to it was pressed and reinforced upon the people of England. "The Englishmen suffered many casualties." http://normanconquest.co.uk/ (wilda)
Medieval Inquisition
This devastating event in history exemplifies the power of the church and the direct influence that it had on the people living during the medieval times. Due to the fact that “separation of church and state” was not even an idea yet, the clergy held the cards and governed the land how they saw fit. The church thought that it was their divine right to interfere with any opposing religious beliefs or ideals, leading them to combat that opposition with means of violence and torture in some cases. The Inquisition was a way for narrow minded, “god-fearing” folk to weed out those who were not worthy of expressing their own moral values. Inquisitors were religious figures that were sent to different areas to expose those who had “fallen from grace.” These discoveries resulted with the accused scoundrel on trial for what they felt; unfortunately these trials usually did not end in favor of the accused.
OTHER
The center of thinking during The Medieval Period was based upon the Christian bible. Unfortunately, religion controlled the minds of the people. All scientific thoughts that did not follow what was said in the Bible was ignored and considered phony. Some examples include that the Earth revolves around the sun. In the Bible is says how the sun revolves around the Earth. It was discovered that the sun was the center of the universe and the Earth revolved around the sun, although this concept was not argued with because going against the church would result in harsh consequences. Another example of this ignorance to intelligent thinking was the belief that the Earth was round. The Bible talks about how the Earth has four corners, hence the Earth was flat. Once again the belief of the Earth being round was rejected and not proved until later on in history because the church overlooked it. Ultimately, thinking freely was repressed by the church, causing no progress in scientific discoveries. -Kelsey
An aspect that contributes to why the Dark Ages were dark was the concept of Feudalism. This concept was introduced by William the Conqueror, leader of the Norman invasion who was crowned king. This concept means that land is exchanged for military service, in which the land is divided by the king, the church, and Norman soldiers and nobles. A "pyramid of power" was created to maintain control, along with the creation of castles to control the population. However, rebellion ensued, as many people did not agree with feudalism. There were two rebellions, one led by King Harold's family, and by Herward the Wake, both of which were unsuccessful. Feudalism fell into a decline when the Black Death came around Europe. (http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/feudalism-in-england.htm)- Jesse
Medieval Catholic Literature
Cultural activity during the early Middle Ages consisted primarily in appropriating and systematizing the knowledge of the past. The works of classical authors were copied and annotated. Encyclopedic works, such as Isidore of Seville's Etymologies (623), which attempted to present the collected knowledge of humankind, were compiled. At the center of any learned activity stood the Bible; indeed, all secular learning was regarded as mere preparation for understanding the holy text. Also, the Church preserved ancient writings and Biblical writings. The Christian Church helped unify people of Europe because of its centralized authority and hierarchical nature. The Church unified the people because it was the only constant.
The Dark Ages were referred to as "dark" becasue of the very influencial oppression the Churches had on the people and citizens of that time. The church believed that people should stick to the old time and old ways, in order to brainwash and keep the people "dumb" to their surroundings, so that the Church had power and control over the people